With A Flutter of Chaos
by Obsidian-Marionette
Summary: She was only to study them, to understand their ways and flaws. What River Marx bargained for seemed much worse than the flutter of wings. OC X Cast. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

This is a Blood and Chocolate Fanfiction based from the movie, not the book. I couldn't find the option to the movie. So this is just for fun. Please tell me what you think. I do NOT own any of the characters. This is a crossover with another story idea that I've had haunting me for the better half of my writing experience. My character's history was inspired by an old movie, and if you have seen it, feel free to point it out. I won't say what movie because I'd like to see if anyone recognizes the back story. Enjoy!

- - -

_My time draws near to meet them; the Loup-garoux. We have managed to calculate their prime location set to their old roots in Bucharest, Romania. They've strayed from America because the weak hearted have led the way to their home. I'm talking of Vivian Gandillon; rumors spread fast about an ivory wolf seen roaming about the woods. With the people fearing the rise of wolves in their parts, they took it upon themselves to hunt every last one of them. However, it was Vivian who was not of a wolf but a young girl rolling to and fro in the gathering snow. Whether the hunter's were deceived by their eyes or by their trusted companions, Vivian needed to flee. She suffered a tragic loss as her entire family was murdered. _

_I do not blame her for the wrath buried within, nor the one inside her. There are things I can assure you that I sympathize with. I can understand what its like to fight against what you truly are and yet, it can't be blamed. We are what we are and, whether we favor it or not, we must endure the ideals that Humans cannot know of us. I find it perspective to be rather dull. Though we are similar to them, we have our immediate differences. We aren't exposed. We do not hunt as one, or do we strategize to. Still, regardless of our ways, Bucharest is their homeland, their birthright. I may be what I am, ruthless at times, I know boundaries. _

River pressed the pen firmly to the paper. Again, she seemed lost in her own deliberations to go on. River had agreed to come to Romania in order to study the Loup-garoux. Her family wanted to know their weaknesses as they were in limited number. Gradually with time, the Loup-garoux would reign as they did before. At least, that was what her family hoped for. With Loup-garoux known properly by the human eye, River knew that her own would soon follow. It wasn't that they feared exposure but, they feared a warfare. Her own remained but a whisper in history; a sick twisted creation by opinion, and still unjustly like the Loup-garoux.

River settled with a half a page that night. Her nerves prickled further as the days drew nearer. Soon, she would envelop her body in shadow as she'd done the better part of her existence. Now, it wasn't cliche to say those words because River needed to stay in shadow. Her kind lived in shadow simply because it was easy to hunt and live. And, amongst other things, shadows were the best thing to come; it certainly brought more freedom than the Loup-garoux had.

Savagely, River pointed out their differences and possible succession over the Loup-garoux. She undoubtedly sympathized with them only to forget her own predicament. River was dangerous, far worse in comparison to the Loup-garoux. They changed with both beauty and dignity; they knew what pain plagued their Human shape and were able to counter it with vicious hunger. River had to be kept down in order to prevent from harming others. Her wrists and ankles revealed such bruises, even her neck shone a bit of tenderness.

River crossed over to the window. She stared from her provided studio apartment to the city life beyond the complex. Her assignment would be hard; not much to hide when the change overwhelmed her and not much restrains nearby. She drew her coat from the bed's headboard, grabbed her keys, and leapt onto the emergency railing.

For the time being, River would explore the grounds of Bucharest. She wanted to find safe ground; a haven for when the Change became unbearable. She thought of one place, a zoo. She determined that hiding in her apartment alone couldn't stop her from tearing every piece of furniture to shreds. River didn't need to worry about ruining her temporary home instead, as the beast lay calm within, she managed to explore in peace.


	2. Chapter 2

I do NOT own any of the characters except my own. Enjoy:-)

- - -

As the air thickened with an undoubted scent of Loup-garoux, River faltered. She had gone farther into the city than expected. She seemed miles from her home and it was too late to turn back. They were getting closer. She even debated whether or not to return home to deny her father any results of her discoveries. Someone other than herself deemed more than capable to take the position to watch them. Still, River was curious to become closer to them, unnoticed and so near.

River stopped under a street light. Her ebony hair which fell loose about her shoulders waved fluidly in the icy wind. She drew her coat closer. Her human body carried many objections for the outside world, if the beast had pure control, she'd want nothing more than to lay around in her prized form. River leaned to the post, her hands tucked safely in her pocket. She lowered her face when a couple passed by unfazed by her presence.

"We have another night to go."

"I'm trying my best to keep still. I'm just too excited."

–"Don't worry, we'll have our chance."

River manage to listen even as distance between them grew. She relied on her senses when her eyes were of no use. Of course, hearing a meaningless conversation once in a while thrilled her. She was given the chance to see how others lived their lives far different and uncommon as her own. River decided not to listen anymore when a car abruptly stopped near her.

A group of young women stepped from the car. Excitement and adventure labeled them as they laughed into the silent street. River remained against the light post apparently having found something interesting. The young women came near a closed building, or rather condemned. From what River could see, the windows were painted over with black or a darker shade. Shouldn't possible justify which from the very little light. The young women deliberated amongst themselves before one unlocked the door, leaving it opened for her companions to follow.

For a moment, River thought to ignore this gesture but when the scent of Loup-garoux emanated from the door, she lifted her head. Things seemed too easy, and as curious as she'd become that second, River chose to follow and blend with the group. In the darkened hallway, none would notice her walking behind them. Her steps impossibly silent and non-existent to theirs. Her eyes managed to see perfectly in the painted darkness while the young women used their sense of touch to guide them along the way.

They had come to a stop at a door unfastened at the hinge. River managed to open it very little. Perhaps, in the long run, she wanted to see if things were safe enough for the young women. She didn't know why she seemed so concerned for them. The air had been laced thick with both Loup-garoux and Human that River nearly threw the door open. She found least twenty or more lounging about the couches or at the bar. They were young, adolescent and apparently careless. They were free in their own territory.

River found the steel staircase before the others did. They followed behind her after realizing that she was there. They had nothing more to say when she disbursed from them to casually walk around. River slid her hands back into her coat pockets while idly watching every other person cross her. She could not determine who was Loup-garoux or not. River despised being confused. Perhaps, this was one of the challenges her mother warned when she accepted the task to traveling to Romania. She was not joking when she mentioned that it was their direct homeland.

Every inch, every step, River smelt them. Her face grew warm, slightly flushed with excitement. The one within her stirred wildly curious of her surroundings. With her strength, River managed to keep back the Change. She wanted to appear less threatening to the crowd. She was good at that, perhaps, too good. River found an empty spot at the bar. She was unsure of what to order even though drinking never came to mind. In front her, in every corner, was research.

River traced a finger over the counter for the time being. She was trying to think, to strategize what to do while inside the domicile of Loup-garoux. She admitted that as they lay in their greatest shape, it became hard to separate them. They had more things in common. However, unknown to Humans, their scents thickened by arousal or fury. Humans could not capture that notion, River was glad of that because if Humans could, her own would be spotted.

Graciously, River turned round to watch as others climbed down the stairs. She wondered if she appealed more humanly in their eyes and if so, she had no worry. River traced over the many swaying with the music. She wouldn't want to admit that the music attracted her.

"You are apparently new to these parts."

River had no intention of responding, but it was her shoulders to have given her away from the sudden surprise, they straightened.

"Only a handful of keys are given to those we have interest in and or, want to allowed inside. I don't ever recall seeing your pretty face."

River abruptly stood from the chair. She had no reason to turn the voice speaking to her, whether thickly accented or not, River needed to move elsewhere. Her eyes shifted. She hadn't moved that far to see the patron to have spoken to her. She hid her smile. He was handsome, lean and comfortably held in casual pants and a black jacket. His short brown hair nearly touched his eyes, but it wasn't that to have made her stare further. With his crooked smile, and a glint of light, River saw that his eyes were of two colors.

"So, what is the name of the stowaway, if I can ask."

Was she allowed to give her name to Them? Had her father warned her not to get too close to Them; even the slightest bit of conversation would lure her into knowing and possibly caring for Them. River had to think fast but it seemed right to have told him her name.

"River."

"What sort of name is that?"

She elevated her shoulders. She couldn't possible remember why her father chose that name for her. Her cheeks burnt from embarrassment of his response. River shone her back again.

"My family wasn't concentrating too hard to give me a valuable name."

"Isn't that obvious. No, you don't deserve to have a name. If I had it my way," He said thoughtfully deciding on a name for her. "Your name would be Lily. That should have more meaning than the one given to you."

River shifted. "You are sounding as though you own me."

He came to stand near her. His eyes glinting deviously in the light. "There are consequences for entering without a set key. These are the rules of my place. You came unannounced and certainly, uninvited. Everyone knows of my rules. You will too."

River arched a brow. As he spoke to her, he circled her. She found the tactic shrewd and distinctive; others tried to frighten her in a similar way when younger, it would hardly work now. She stood still allowing his eyes travel over her, to study what he could for the time being.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm only to visit, nothing more."

"And in that very short time, you'll come here every night and accompany me until I find you not worthy." He came round, starting to head off into the crowd. "You should feel honored, most girls would be thrilled to be in your position."

River tried her best to not covet a smile. "And why is that?"

"You'll know soon enough. For now, its best that you go home. I wouldn't want you to be soiled."

And, for some strange reason, River took her leave. She pretended not to worry about the predicament she just entered. In a matter of a day of residing in Bucharest, River had fallen into possible trouble. Still, she enjoyed the challenge, and most importantly -- the challenge of telling her father.


	3. Chapter 3

With the leave during the weekends, I'm unable to write. So during the week, I will try to update as much as I can. All I could think of was this story and it made it worse when I kept watching Blood and Chocolate. So here is another installment.

- - -

River traveled down the chosen path to her complex. She, without trouble, climbed over the slick, threatening fence after disregarding the use of the key card. She found the systematic security quite obsolete at times; the fence held back very little threat of what Bucharest deemed to carry. As she landed promptly on her feet, River rose. She never seemed to be herself thereafter. What dwelled in her mind that moment was the trouble she'd have to report. Her father expected a bit of parchment in a matter of her direct arrival to Romania.

Her throat became tight as she thought of what to explain. Bucharest was a dying beauty in the light yet more marvelous in the dark; the city chosen as a direct homeland crumbled with dignity because of the Loup-garoux. Why wouldn't they try to care for it? Meaningless ideals, River thought. She was too flustered to think correctly.

River entered the east wing, climbed through the staircase to her upper apartment, and unlocked the door. Before entering, she stayed beneath the threshold. Her door wasn't fully opened though enough to expose her to the inside domicile. With her eyes, if needed to, scanned for anything out of place. Her window remained half opened, the way she left it. Curtains fluttered cooly from the entering wind, papers scattered amongst the rug from the lack of weight. River shook her nerves away.

Crossing over to the window, River stared out again. Her eyes traveled over the glowing city, and though it appeared peaceful, River knew better than to believe it. She reached up to rub the slight soreness lingering in her throat. For once, River regarded her situation.

_You'll come here every night and accompany me until I find you not worthy. Everyone knows of my rules. You will too._

River's eyes shifted to the darkness. She refused to allow her inner nature to rise further than needed. The scent of Loup-garoux cloaked her body that she removed her coat unfashionably and threw it to the ground. She couldn't admit that though the smell came strong from their sweat, River tingled with excitement. Perhaps, it was from the challenge presented in that short hour. She couldn't pin point what exactly.

She settled for a hot bath before anything. River worked the lathery soap into her palms and scathingly rubbed her skin with the temporary bouquet of prickling floral scent. She crouched beneath the waterfall, contemplating. Again, she was lost in her thoughts. River had the habit of doing so too much that others deciphered her habit as a weakness. She analyzed every possibility to the extremities; she despised the notion of surprise.

River emerged from the bathroom an hour later. She loosely wandered in the bedroom before finding her desk. She sat and, without the use of lamp light, reached for the pen. Her fingers gripped with ease and the words began to form.

- - -

I arrived in Bucharest as predicted. The city hardly stirred with jubilancy to my arrival; they must not get too many thoughtful people in these parts. I took the image of a tourist as did many after taking their leave from the train. Certainly by keeping my natural being silenced the successfulness to my assignment will flourish. Forgive the lack of proper greeting to my letter. I am truly exhausted from the weary travel, and though you are likely to find the ailment amusing. I've traveled further than this, never set foot in one area at a time before leaving again. Yes, you are right about everything.

As of tonight I've managed little progress in finding the Loup-garoux. The city is shrouded with their scent that it is difficult to find their direct area of secrecy. Blood comes secondly amongst the list. They've cleverly stripped every street, every possible area from the appearance of blood. They are getting very smart. None, other than us and possibly others, could have picked up that scent. Father, I'll implore you to take my word that my visitation here must be extended by a week or so. More than likely, I'll find their hive.

- - -

River set the pen down, looked over her details, and decided that in the end, her letter was not convincing enough. She worked for another hour on convincing her father that she found nothing as of yet; she lied. That silver lie tasted bitter on her tongue, River admitted. She found it necessary altogether because her father wanted details rushed. She could not find her mind clear enough when rushed. Like many others, she enjoyed approaching things slow and slyly; that came first when hunting.

And literally speaking, this was considered hunting. River delicately folded her approved letter within the confinements of the envelope. She hadn't marked the envelope with her father's name, she instead wrote to his alias and address he requested. Her first account on the Loup-garoux would remain silent to others. She wanted to have further time to confirm that she had fallen into the hive; if that was indeed the hive. She would fail to mention her second name; Lily. Her father might chortle to that. He wanted her to be risque while under the pseudo persona of a naive tourist. However, River found the approach to be utterly impossible. She wanted to be herself more than anything within the limits of Bucharest; those orders were terminated. She must not step into the open, not yet.

When River laid in her bed, the scent emanated from the covers. Her coat lay inches from her and it clouded her mind. She rolled to the opposite side and covered her head with the blankets. The scent of Loup-garoux, both distant and near, flooded her room. River found sleep to be nearly impossible.


	4. Chapter 4

I do NOT own the characters except River. I had fun doing this one. :-)

- - -

River left her apartment at the first light of dawn. She refused to squirm further in the Loup-garoux scent; and she chose a different coat, a much more comfortable one the color of mauve and black. The three belts distinctly resting on her proud bosom lay loose and opened until she connected the top belt. She wanted her coat to be held close for the time being. The wind that morning was slightly cold and slick, her breath fairly seen. She was not aware that it drizzled. She wasn't exactly in a correct mind that morning.

She desperately needed to flee from her dwelling to regain her footing. She decided to take a more risky exit and leapt from the emergency staircase to land on her feet. Her hand rested in the pool of water just beneath her. The particles of dirt coated her fingers and she briskly cleaned them on her pant leg.

With the morning being fair and quite still, River had a better advantage to explore Bucharest. She found every shop she passed to be riveting with life from the owners. The scents of cinnamon and sugar came from the local cafes, and that alone stirred her hunger. River kept moving further, her shoulders elevated temporarily to use the high collar to hide her eyes. She wasn't aware that in the reflection, her eyes shifted to their natural hue than the warm chocolate brown she was known to have.

River explored further and disenchanted from the scent of Loup-garoux. She understood that they lived everywhere, whether limited number or not, Bucharest was their city. She passed a chained gate and a far more flattering scent caught her attention. The zoo remained locked until noon, as the plaque revealed. She couldn't help herself to explore the ground while in the dawn. It seemed that she had the tendency to enter uninvitedly.

Various animals reacted to her; she could not tell if it was a violent gesture or a welcoming one. Still, it brought a small smile across her lips. River crossed the single caged crocodile, crossed the circular cage of the lemurs, and found herself standing by the ample cages where the large cats roamed aimlessly. For now, they were huddled together in sleep, most of which had thick collars about their neck for extra protection. She stayed behind the safety gate, but River could not resist approaching closer.

She climbed over the safety gate now pressed to the iron bars which separated her from being torn by the large cats. One, an obsidian coated leopard, roused from sleep to notice her near. A female, River breathed as the leopard approached to lay at the iron bar. Her coat by far too tempting not to touch. River was not afraid of them nor allowed them to know of it. She stayed cool and at the ready for an unexpected reaction to her visit.

A minute had not gone by then as River started feeling a distinct shiver tickling her spine. She determined that it wasn't from the large cats rousing from sleep, it came from something else, something approaching her. Her eyes shifted, she wouldn't allow her body to show evident reaction to the solemn feeling weighing her. She relied on her companions to reveal if what approach seemed threatening or not. They, on the other hand, reacted instinctively and unkindly by baring their teeth in the morning light. Blood had yet to tinge their sharp ivory, and it seemed that they knew that would come soon.

River faded any inhibition to keep her mirage intact. Her eyes drained into the delicate frost blue, slitted and dangerously sharpened.

"You come uninvited into my casual spot and now, I find you here within the closed compound of the zoo. Tell me, are you begging for trouble?"

Her eyes still had not change, and while her back was shone, she refused to turn. "I seem to be a natural attraction for it. I was not expecting to cross paths with you so soon."

"But," He added, "I couldn't resist when I noticed you taking an early morning stroll. Could you not sleep under the vivid lights of Bucharest?"

"Hardly."

River looked away when the same young man came to her side. He wore the same attire, perhaps finding it useless to hurry home to change. His scent thicker than she imagined. She remembered that being below hardly divided whom lavished more in scent; even Humans could be mistaken if exposed to the Loup-garoux too long, frankly, River doubted that.

The other cats approached the iron gates but, the collar clasped to their neck forbade them. She expressed sympathy by relaxing her shoulders, no longer showing tension.

"They must not like you very much." River blandly said to him. Her collar blocking her view of him. Her eyes had not changed, still.

"I suppose its that phrase, animals can sense evil. Although, I'm hardly that unless I have that special urge."

"Forgive me for not knowing that." Her voice would remain effortless.

He potentially smiled at her comment. He came near.

"So, Lily." He began while coaxing a finger through hair. River surprisingly did not withdraw. She stayed frozen, concentrating more on the cats near her. "It seems that no matter what, we cross paths."

"Your benevolent point is?"

River turned to him. She could now see his eyes more clearly in the morning light than the false gold. They were brighter, much more irradiated in hue. She forced her heart to beat calmly, less obvious. He would be her first attraction, indeed; still, becoming aroused meant her cover would be blown. She leaned her head back to casually glance to the birds passing over head.

"Care to join me in a stroll around the city?"

River delighted in saying she wasn't interested; however, as he continued to speak to her, that shiver hadn't wavered a moment. Allowing him to lead would give him more of the advantage of knowing where I go, River thought thoroughly as she climbed over the safety gate. He did the same. Still, the large cats never eased except for the female at the gate, laying there helpless tired.

"I have much to do today before I need to be back. Remember, you wanted to see me promptly at night, every night, until you find me not worthy." River noticed her own voice darkened with challenge. "I suggest you be a tad bit patience, you can do that, no?"

River left him in silence. She wanted to turn back simply to see his crooked smile and frustration glorify his face; he deserved every bit of it. River cast the idea to the side and glanced back to him, he was gone. Her brows furrowed. Was she harsh?

"And, why, my dear, do you look back?" His voice level and cool.

He stood at the brick wall. His ankles crossed and hands tucked into his pockets. Light speared through the webbed branches above and each emphasized his appearance. River wanted to keep a firm image of him, nothing more. He was Loup-garoux, precisely something she could not get close to other than to learn. She could not understand why it seemed right to toy with him. Damn her cruel heart.

River smiled half-heartedly. He expected an answer. "It is my choice to look back, you've only changed my name to what you desire, you've not commanded me. I do what I wish."

"Is that what you're looking for?" His brow arched and that same smile returned again. "You want to be commanded."

"Do you take everything I say literally?"

"Mmm, the only reason why I would is because its in your voice. Your fighting what you truly want to say."

"How noble of you to think for me."

"See. There it is, that darkening spirit, the true essence of your very being." He waved a finger.

"Perhaps I did consider, for a moment, to go for stroll around the city. That notion was temporary, I apologize for leading you on."

_Liar_.

River listened to her true nature taunting her. She knew well that River was capable of luring them to her then crushing their hopes with an attack of her own. She knew better than to continuously toy with this one; it was shone in his eyes that he could do the same – a Loup-garoux, her match? Unlikely.

_Go with him, learn as your father wanted you to. You'll find yourself punishable if you cut away when you are so close._

"So, what to do now if you don't want to be commanded in the early hour of morning."

River wanted to correct him; she found it useless to try and disregarded it. "I gather there aren't many things to do because the world is waking slowly."

"Breakfast then?"

She didn't need to answer because her stomach intervened by lightly growling.

"Then its settled."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, now since I got a laptop for Valentine's Day. I am now able to do some writing while on the weekend. I'm not saying to prepare for major updating, just that you'll have plenty to read during the first few days of the week. R & R!

"I'm visiting Bucharest for a few days before I'm to head back to England. My cousins wanted me to take a vacation from all the long hours of working with their line. They wanted me to discover the tastes Bucharest had to offer and bring it back to them."

River had corrupted yet another silver lie with a bit of truth. She wasn't exactly on vacation; she did live in England with her cousins and they had their own clothing line that ruled the underground world. River shown some interest and they offered her a job as a designer. She had no other choice simply because her cousins worked from their home as seamstresses; every piece of clothing, every belted corset, they've sewn authentically.

"So you came here for their benefit and now," He had leaned back in his chair. A confident smile possessed his face. River felt a dark shiver rise in her spine when he did this. "You've entered into a twisted world. I can commend you for coming uninvited to my usual spot because I've grown bored with the tactics of night. There are things that hardly brighten my evening."

River's jaw clenched. What was he on about? She wondered, searching his eyes for the possible answer. She looked elsewhere when he looked back in the same manner. She reached for her coffee, forcing down the rich brew and avoided his eyes.

"I cannot imagine the plague of boredom striking you. You had plenty of guests inside that place, that lounge of yours."

He laughed momentarily. "It once belonged to my father, he finally saw the light and had given me permission to go on with the ownership."

River nodded. "So, what will you have me do then?"

He arched a brow. That smile never left him and it made River shrink further inside. "I'll have to leave you with some mystery. I can't have you prepared for anything because that is not like me. I'm unexpected, charming and very witty."

"Very well then, let us start on a more common base. What is your name?" River set her cup down and neatly crossed her arms. She settled back in the chair. The conversations surrounding them hardly bothered her focus to listen only to him. "I've given you mine, and you have changed it, so I have a right to know the name of my suitor."

"My name is Rafe, and you, my little flower, will remain as Lily. River is a pointless name."

Her eyes closed dangerously to slits. She began to taste something sour, copperish and bitter. River bit into her tongue out of instinct to the insult. He had no right whatsoever to change her name, or potentially, her appearance.

"And if I refuse?"

"You wouldn't want to try darling. I enjoy the act of playing as long as its kept on the good side, although favoring both is a complicated battle of decision."

River refused to look away when he drew closer to take up his cup of coffee. His sniveling grin and poisonous laughter further prickled her anger. Though interesting enough, River found her most challenging target. She finished her cup of coffee and slid it across the round table clattering with the dishes on his side. Her eyes darkened when they stared into his.

"I should get back home. I'm expecting someone."

"Other than myself?"

River had only turned slightly when he said that. She wouldn't turn. "Been watching over me?"

Rafe smiled. "You were very obedient to have taken my words. I couldn't help myself to follow you."

"There is a door, just because I am to do whatever you wish while I'm here in Bucharest does not give you the motive to invite yourself wherever you please. You do not rule this city."

"Sounds like someone should consider her own words. For a tourist, you are awfully interested in entering the unsafe places."

"I found no threat whatsoever in that lounge of yours. Nothing, or no one, seemed likely to harm me more than I would they."

Rafe climbed to his feet to stand next to River. She felt her throat tighten when he reached for her hand to simply kiss the palm of it.

"You'll think different of those words soon enough."

He had taken his leave, reaching the door first. He lifted a hand, waved a finger, and smiled. "You should get some rest. I'll send you something and I'd expect you to wear it."

River watched him leave without another word. He had gone down the block where a silver car waited for him. He turned his attention back to the small café where he had dined. River came outside. Her glare was frighteningly sharp; as for Rafe, he found it nothing more than pleasing.

The car sped away leaving River to walk home alone.

Was everything worth it? River asked herself while traveling back home to her complex. Was it worth the hassle of donning the masquerade still? She felt pressure from sides, one to remain a normal, naïve, troublesome girl or two, what she truly was. Her father wanted information. He wanted progression on the Loup-garoux by any means necessary.

River stayed in Bucharest for a day, to her, it felt like months. Somehow, this was merely the beginning,


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: There is danger a midst. Who could it be? Please read and review!

River made sure to lock every window, every door of her apartment excluding the front door which she kept a keen eye on. If he dare mention that he followed, watched her and probably entered her bedroom, she wouldn't risk being caught off guard. She stayed sitting in the kitchen for a short while just to absorb the idea of him watching her; a part of it unreasonably made her heart flutter.

Still with the scent of Loup-garoux thick in her room, River could not focus. She tried her best to cloud the scent with masking floral scents though no matter her effort, the scent soaked into the threading. She sat at the corner of her bed bent forward as though sick. Her elbows pressed hard to her knees while her hands cupped her face. She was ashamed at first to reason with her inner nature; she tortured her plentifully.

"I can't."

Her forehead began to bead with a cold sweat. Her hands quivered into the familiar clamminess. She could no longer retrace her steps to calm her aching heart, her muscles, and her nature. She beckoned further and further to be released, no longer wanting to be denied that joyous pleasure.

"I'm better than this. You know that I can't. I've been here for a day. What will I do if father finds out that his daughter couldn't last a single day in Bucharest."

_He'll consider you a weak hearted. He will not acknowledge that you are strong and capable of handling a small task such as this. But, father doesn't need to know this as long as you give him the information he needs. _

River lifted her head finally to take a breath. She had found herself a loop hole; a gradually small opportunity to relieve herself of the cloak and writhe in true freedom. River lay back on her bed in pure exhaustion; fighting back was not an easy task at all as she realized then. She couldn't even remember falling asleep.

A knock came to the door of her apartment. Nothing stirred within. Another knocked followed then a voice came. "Ms. Marx. There is a package for you. I had called you several times to tell you that it was urgent."

Dolores, the landlady, took it upon herself to deliver the package personally to River; the package that River was to be expecting from Rafe. Whatever he had purchased for her lay in the medium box the landlady held. On the box, a note lay smoothed and properly laden with specific instructions that it is to be delivered to River Marx by sunset. The landlady had no trouble figuring out whom the box was for. She'd known of only one person with that strange name, and one of was recently added to her client list.

"Ms. Marx. This has to be delivered to you right now."

Dolores found her obstacle to be rather frustrating. She was told to personally deliver the package if the patron did not retrieve it. Calling to River's apartment became tiresome as it was and standing outside constantly knocking didn't help either. Dolores reached for the key ring on her belt and sought the skeleton key.

When she entered River's apartment, Dolores could not find one speck of light pouring inside. She knocked into the dining room table, nearly losing her footing if not for grasping the chair.

"Ms. Marx, are you in here?" Dolores implied when she looked around the small apartment and crossed to open the window to allow some light to spill inside. She found the bed to be torn, pillows thrown, and feathers scattered amongst the ground. Dolores covered her mouth worriedly concerned for her occupant's well being. Her eyes gradually fell to the carpeted floor, seeping from beneath the bed, appeared to be blood, not too fresh and drying slow.

As Dolores continued to overlook the damage done to her apartment, she covered her mouth tighter when a ghastly smell emanated from the carpet. Blood was not the sweetest smell; that bitter soil from the Human body caused sickness in anyone. Dolores tried not to focus on the stench and crossed to call someone. With her back turned, a thud came from below strong enough to shake the bed. Dolores had caught this and turned.

"Ms. Marx, I warned you not to bring any pets into my complex."

Another rattle came from beneath. Dolores placed her hand over her chest from the loss of breath. Her heart had not raced as quick as it did then. With shaking fingers, she reached for the coverlet then reconsidered the silliness of it all. No reason to panic, the portly woman convinced herself. She would back away slow, and if she would close and lock the door, she could call authorities to investigate.

Dolores tried not to appear desperate to retreat; but that alone may have triggered what lay beneath the bed to further show adamant frustration. She had not come round River's desk fast enough that something struck her. She fell onto the floor, breaking her fall by bracing herself on her hands. Dolores looked back to see what she tripped on and found that her ankle was injured. She could not find words or breath from the sight of her ankle appearing torn. The pain she courteously waited to feel had not come; the opened wound had ghastly become numb. Dolores tried to rise on her feet but there was no feeling that she struggled.

A low, guttural sound came from below the bed and as Dolores turned she could not make out the silhouette curled there. She couldn't focus on the frost blue eyes that had somehow caught the light from the window. Little had she'd known, the creature had come from below to stand in all its glory.

It appeared like shadow itself, cloaked in endless obsidian with eyes delicate in hue. The creature stood inches from Dolores; she could not find her voice, not even the slightest whimper. The eyes fell to her, slitted and familiar. On large paws, the creature stood. Beneath obsidian fur lay promising strength. A long tail swayed slow, signifying an answer to Dolores' feared plea. The creature had come closer, lowering its shoulders, prowling. Laces of drool fell from the exposed, unstained teeth that worried Dolores further.

"I said no pets." She muttered quietly. "No pets."

The creature did not sound its anger as it traditionally did. Instead, it bound forward with only one thing in mind: sustenance. Dolores could no longer exclaim for the creature aimed for her throat to silence her, holding her there in warning. The ivory teeth bore into the soft flesh with ease. Dolores could do nothing but fade into unconsciousness and death.


	7. Chapter 7

Enjoy. Read and review!

"_Reports have stunned the city of Bucharest."_

"_The Grengal Zoo has declared a mandatory lock down until further investigation."_

"_No witnesses have approached the police as to what may have happened."_

_News flooded Bucharest over the wee hours of sunset. _

_The owner of Orange Crest Apartments, Dolores Rosin, has been found murdered; her body mangled and flesh nearly consumed by whatever had committed the crime. Groundkeepers of the Grengal Zoo have pleaded with the city to see that they none of their animals had escaped that day. They have claimed that at the time of death, the Zoo was clearing out its faithful customers. No animal had escaped from his or her protective cages. _

"_It is very unclear that an animal with a mass that large would go without being seen" Groundskeeper, Myra Eshton, implied after being questioned. "We do not take criticism lightly. We make sure that all of our animals are safely locked away. We can assure our visitors are safe when visiting our zoo."_

"_This is an atrocity!" _

"_I don't believe for a second that animals deserve to be caged. I don't blame their destructive behavior because these are wild animals; they still have their instincts. It is sad that someone had to die to see that the animals deserve to be let go." A bystander quoted on the murder of Dolores Rosin. _

Gabriel shut his television off. Nothing else seemed to have been on during the next morning. The mood outside and in was glum; the murdered rocked the grounds of Bucharest. Gabriel admitted to being fumed by the idea of the murder sounding strikingly familiar. His son had done the same months earlier; he never needed to question Rafe if he hunted a tourist or not because he knew his son to prey upon them. But, this was no tourist to have died at the hands of an animal. Gabriel settled at his desk trying to concentrate on shipments when his son came inside.

"I suppose that you are going to question me to see if I tracked that woman."

Rafe came to sit in the chair opposite of his father. There was a dark glint in his eye. His father shone his frustration and yet he remained quiet with his jaw clenched tight.

"Do you know anything about this? Do you know if anyone other than yourself to have began their own tracking?"

Rafe set his feet to the desk and leaned into the chair. "I wouldn't know a thing. I've been far too busy to ask around if anyone has hunted other than on our usual date."

Gabriel rose to stare out of this window. His hands were folded behind his back. "Rafe, I will ask you to be careful. As I've said many times before, you will lead us into new world; this pack will be yours one day and if you squabble around, tracking tourists and leave your trails, they will know we are here."

"Yes, I know. I'm sick of you repeating this but its good to hear it again once in a while."

His father turned. "When everyone leaves, I'll ask you to go with me to Orange Crest. If they say that this is an animal, we'll be able to track it down."

"So we are going on our own hunt, eh?" Rafe climbed from the chair. His mood partially lifted. "Although, I was supposed to meet someone tonight, actually last night but she never showed up. I'm a little worried about her because she lived at the Orange Crest."

"You are tracking another one?" Gabriel growled inhumanely at the news.

"You can't honestly blame me, these tourists are hard to resist. This one was too beautiful not to go after." Rafe went to the door, his hand grasping the doorknob. "Don't you get all worried, I'm not going to ruin her as I did the other. This one is frightened of me, and that means, she's a keeper."

Rafe chuckled while leaving. Gabriel shook his head. His son received his suave mannerism with the women. He remembered vividly that the way Rafe behaved, not by anyone else's rules but his own, reminded him keenly of himself. Still, there was no laughing matter about the murder echoing throughout the city. It had sent a brilliant shock wave of fear that Gabriel desired to spill but with falling numbers, sending that wave was obsolete.

He hoped that, with the aid of his son, they would find something about the situation; it had no settled with him.

River sat by herself in the café drinking a cup of coffee. Her body shivered fiercely with cold. She was not feeling so good and her ghostly white skin revealed her ailment. She carefully took a drink to settle her trembling fingers. She learned about the murder of her landlady, she could not think of anything else or even tried too. She wondered what happened to the woman and why something would want to hurt her. She seemed to be well-enjoyed woman, rather nosy at times, but that was no reason to be murdered. Everyone had his or her flaw and that alone separated him or her from each other.

River drew her coat tighter around her body trying her best to wear off the cold racking her body. Her teeth chattered, her eyes lost all their color, River was definitely ill.

"Boy, don't you look ill." The waitress said after clearing off a table on River's left. "I guess the news kind of shook you."

"I think so. Its not everyday that someone gets murdered in your apartment complex." River nervously shook. She took another sip of the warm brew.

"I don't know what did this, I just hope whatever did will be disposed of inhumanely."

By the words said, River ceased to shake. Her eyes stared at the waitress, offended by her determination to rule out the possible destruction of the murderer. She, on the other hand, thought to nod in agreement.

"That's if they ever catch him or her."

"Don't you worry, love. Here in Bucharest, the police have their ways of tracking these killers down. Why wouldn't anyone feel safe in these streets?"

River nodded as the waitress walked away. She thought for a moment to reconsider her actions. She needed to go back to Orange Crest to wait for her letter; most importantly, River needed to see the damage she had done.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Enjoy!

River chose to avoid going near Orange Crest; the wave of fear thrived just as strong even three days later. She hid carefully amongst the shadow, carefully avoided being seen by none other than Rafe. While in time, she would think of confessing to him of her ill intention to harm anyone – that feeling came brief. She ducked behind a sharp corner whenever a silver car passed by. She couldn't risk revealing herself to him and from recollecting, knew he had gone in a silver car. She waited near the postal office to wait for any sign of arriving inventory.

She grimaced as yet another hour passed that a truck had not arrived at the small postal office. River wanted to cross the street to wait impatiently at the door, that wasn't a good idea. She would make herself look a fool and would show that she was waiting for something important. River, after another half hour, started across the street.

"Yes, may I help you?"

River studied the small postal office with little interest. She nodded and politely approached the desk. The middle-aged man folded his hands. She immediately caught the scent of Loup-garoux. She found this to be rather pleasant. The Loup-garoux managed to live normal lives without so much as trouble from the Change. River couldn't say that her own were superior, by strength, perhaps, but not superior. Loup-garoux had been around for thousand of years whereas her own uncharted.

"Could you by any chance help me?" River loosened her coat. "I live at the Orange Crest Apartments." She caught his subtle reaction. "I can assume that no mail has been delivered in that area; could you please check to see if there is a letter for apartment three twenty-five."

The middle-aged man with his slightly spiked blonde hair gave her a smug grin. He would nod and turn to into the backroom. River waited patiently in hopes for receiving a letter. She walked to and fro within the small waiting room. No one else had come inside. River stood by the glass door to stare outside into the busy street. Life began to clear little by little; that by far, was good.

River's attention shifted when a clank of metal scrapped amongst common material. She had heard that sound one too many times from raids. The man held a gun to her. He had an accurate aim to her heart if she hadn't obliged to answer his questions. She arched a brow from his shaky mannerism.

"Apartment three twenty-five. Is that where you are staying, is that where you killed Dolores Rosin?"

River chuckled from the offense he gave her. She indeed lived in apartment three twenty-five of Orange Crest Apartments; but she didn't kill Dolores Rosin. She couldn't have said a better answer than no. The man was too crazed and frightened to ask any further questions.

"Being a Loup-garoux, I thought you had no fear."

The man began to lower the gun, still with accurate aim if threatened. "What do you know of Loup-garoux?" His eyes darkened.

"I can smell your fear. Its very potent." River implied as she walked to the opposite end of the counter. She hadn't been frightened of the gun as she thought she might have. "Now, did I have any mail or am I going to have to steal it from the back room. Its very important that I get my mail and its wrong to take it by force."

The man lifted the gun back up. River tilted her head slightly. She gradually lifted a hand to show she meant nothing.

"I mean no harm. I just want my mail."

"You think we'll let you walk around our city and kill whoever you please."

River grimaced. "I've told you I've done nothing wrong."

"You reek of blood."

"And, that exactly means what?"

"You murdered Dolores Rosin."

River shook her head. She tried with little patience to convince the postal worker that she did nothing of the sort; her temperament crumbling little by little. She wanted to get her mail and nothing more. He made that simple task very difficult. River tried again to convince him to give the mail she received.

"Look, I'm only here to get my mail and nothing more. You are the one appearing crazy, pointing a gun in my direction and spilling hideous lies."

The postal worker shook his head, brought the lever back and threatened to fire his gun. River took matters into her own hands. She leapt onto the counter as sideswiped the gun from his hand. Her eyes flared with magnificent power, threateningly shimmering a frost blue. She didn't need to grasp the Change to inhabit its power.

"I don't appreciate being threatened. I just came for my mail and it seems that I have to go behind your back to get it."

When the man turned, his eyes were white. He felt as though he needed to wait for the signal to change into his beloved form. River stood on her feet now. She lifted a hand as though to allow him to take his form. She anticipated it more than anything; partially, she was fascinated to see it.

"What is going on here?"

River turned to see that they were not alone. Rafe stood at the door, to his left, Gabriel.

"Lily, what are you doing here?"

River jumped down from the counter. "I came to get my mail. Apparently there is some new policy that has been forced. Everyone must be questioned first before getting his or her packages."

The postal worker climbed to his feet. He smoothed his shirt out and begrudgingly went to the backroom to get River her mail. Rafe approached her with a smile.

"You never showed up, beautiful. And, if your package was sent, you never received it."

River smiled very little. "I'm sorry, I had things to do. I had to sadly skip your invitation."

Rafe nodded. "Well, we'll have to reschedule sometime soon."

"Here you go, Ms." The postal worker handed River her mail. She took it generously and tucked it into her coat pocket. River nodded toward the postal worker, thanked him and made her way toward the exit.

River's eyes fell to Gabriel. She found herself warning her nature to calm. She was not well rested and seemed too sickly to start anything else other than to frighten the postal worker.

"Good day," Gabriel said to her, gallantly bowing his head in respect. River nodded then looked to Rafe. She gave him a little smile and went on her way outside.

When the postal office was free from River's presence, Gabriel turned to the worker, a fellow Loup-garoux.

"What happened here?"

Rafe went to the back of the counter and found the gun the worker possessed. He could hardly contain his laughter. He waved the gun. "Was that little minx that bad to have raised a gun to her person?"

The postal worker looked away. He wanted to sneer at the careless boy, the son of the pack leader; the only heir next to take control.

"Answer him." Gabriel went over to the glass doors to keep an eye outside.

"She asked to get her mail from three twenty-five Orange Crest." The man began to explain. "If you recall, and I have no doubt you've done, that that was where they discovered Dolores Rosin murdered. I had no choice but to use firm action, I asked questions. That girl said she had nothing to do with the murder."

"Coincidence, she was no where near Orange Crest. She wasn't anywhere near by. I should know. I didn't see or smell her."

The man grimaced. "Maybe you were thinking on different matters than important ones."

Gabriel turned his head slightly. His hands were comfortably resting in his pockets.

Rafe slid the gun on the counter and continued to look at the man. "Anything more from your mouth is less than important. What else happened before we came to your rescue?"

"She said that she knew I was Loup-garoux." He knew those words would be taken notice. "And, just before you came here, her behavior changed. Her voice changed, her eyes. . her eyes changed. There is something about that isn't right. She said she could smell my fear. What kind of girl could know that?"

Rafe straightened against the counter. He idly brushed his hand through his hand. "A Loup-garoux. You do realize that Loup-garoux is not just males, you stupid man."

"No, I know about the women. This was something different altogether. I know what my gut was telling me then. My lords, track that girl down. If you don't another murder will happen and they will return to finish us off."  
"You are talking through ass, my friend. That woman is my toy, and I can tell you she is nothing special than that." Rafe explained as they began to leave.

Gabriel left first followed by son. They walked side by side to the silver car. Rafe looked around to see if Lily was anywhere near them. Her scent faded even though it still seemed near.

"What do you think? Do we go by that cod's stupidity or do we rely on our own research of this murderer?" Rafe asked his father.

Gabriel hadn't started the car. He leaned to the door in thought. His fellow Loup-garoux confessed that something wasn't right about that girl. Anyone else wouldn't have defended himself or herself so smartly, they would have coward or begged with fear to put the gun down. She didn't. She took matters into her own hands. She knew of Loup-garoux also; another question mark. He started the car.

"We'll go tonight."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I finished skipping through the movie to watch when Rafe came on screen and I couldn't help but add a touch of romance into this suspense-stricken fanfiction. There is always reason for romance; it can either be used for or against the character. Read on to find which way it goes. Please read and review, I enjoy getting feedback to see how the story is appealing to you, the readers. :-)

River sat down at the park the following afternoon. She eagerly hoped to find a letter from her father that she did not have the heart to look through her mail until that morning. She brought her mail from her coat pocket, looked through them, and came across her family crest sealing the last envelope. The tea colored enveloped briefly smelt of sweet magnolias; River flushed as she thought of her mother. Even in those short days of being in the boundary of Bucharest, River missed her mother. She worried about failing in the mission altogether. She was one out of what remaining number of Loup-garoux, and if she failed, most likely, death would be near. River caressed the waxed family crest and nervously opened the envelope.

My darling, River. I have received your letter with great anticipation in hopes to find progress with the Loup-garoux. You have done well thus far and I cannot complain any further. However, there is something that we must discuss. You have been giving yourself away bit by bit. Is this assignment too much for you to proceed with? I can send others to take your place and they will proceed with whatever you have gone forward with. I cannot risk losing you to the mangy Loup-garoux. Please send word that you will re-consider returning home or --

"Hello, my fair flower."

River lifted her eyes unexpectedly quick. She caught a glimpse of sunlight causing her to sneer.

Rafe chuckled. He came to sit next to her. "I was wondering about what happened earlier today at the postal. I kept asking myself, why would anyone go to the lengths of risking their life at gunpoint."

"I'm not one to be easily intimidated." River blandly explained. She folded the unfinished letter until Rafe snatched it from her hands to overlook her secrets.

"Then, what, per chance is this mail you risked your life for?"

River sat there watching as his eyes carefully read what her father wrote. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for the mention of Loup-garoux, but even then, that could have raised an eyebrow. She studied his face then looked away when his jaw clenched tight. He had leaned close to her, crossed his leg over the other, and brought his arm around her to draw her in. River discreetly felt uncomfortable to his gesture.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Is that what you were waiting for?"

River looked to him, her brows furrowed. She stared at him with obvious confusion and took back her letter to finish what her father wrote. Rafe leaned his head on her shoulder when she took a breath.

"This isn't right. My mother was fine before I left."

Rafe kept his head on her shoulder. More importantly, he wanted to take in her scent to remind him of why he inevitably decided to cross her. She smelt different not like other women he crossed. He could very well remember that Loup-garoux females smelt exotically sweet and that scent thickened when excited. But, Rafe also caught a second wind of something much more powerful.

River read the letter twice to clarify the news that her mother was gone. She did not leave the territory; she lost her life in a challenging battle against the mistress her father kept. River scorned the mistress thereafter and she determined, once the information of Loup-garoux has been successfully given, she would travel back to the Americas to take in the delight of dealing with her father's mistress, Delilah.

"Its very sad that I won't be able to say goodbye the proper way."

Rafe lifted his eyes to look at her. "You aren't going to leave?"

River shook her head. "I'm not ready to head home. There is still much for me to do here."

He lifted a brow; his devious smile appeared. "Good. It will be very unfortunate to not have the chance to have you longer."

Something had drawn River close. His hand buried into the smooth ebony hair she possessed, and his lips pressed firmly to hers. River found warmth in the kiss she had not deserved. Her hand clutched the letter tightly, crushing the parchment inked lovingly by her father. Her father sent her to study them, to learn of them, and nothing more than that. He trusted her with the most pristine respect to carry out the task; and now, River had begun to do more than study.

Her taste lingered in the mouth of a Loup-garoux. He was not an enemy, but a research project. River hardly found harm in tasting him. More consequently, she came further towards him with eagerness. As Rafe drew low to kiss her neck; he caught the slightest sound of a growl. He was unsure if it came from him.

Sooner than hoped, Rafe woke from his haziness to taste her mouth to reward her with a stinging laceration to her neck. Thin, stinging red lines began to form on her ivory flesh. River certainly snapped awake to rest her hand to her injured skin, groaning with surprise. She looked at him with confusion.

"You lied to me, little girl."

"About what?" River refrained from swearing.

Rafe stayed in a modest mood when he listened as River hissed and groaned. He hadn't cut her too hard, injured her slightly, yes, but nothing that couldn't be taken care of. He lifted a hand.

"I thought you came to see the sights of Bucharest. I would have been more than willing to show you around, all you needed to do was ask me."

River withdrew her hand to see if blood smeared in her palm. Luckily, there wasn't. She looked at him. Rafe smiled in his usual deviously crooked smile.

"The postal worker mentioned something about Loup-garoux. He mentioned that you told him something about it. I don't recall what exactly and after reading your letter, it has come to my attention that you came from wherever it is you said you came from to report progression. Who sent you?" He now turned to look at her straight. River looked away. "I am one of the last people you'd ever want to lie to, Lily."

River surprised that he kept calling her that. He seemed to have cherished titling her that. She couldn't find disgust for him. She couldn't look him in the eye fast enough that Rafe forced himself to turn her to him. She wanted to strike him in that instant. She refused to allow anyone to touch her in that manner, not even amongst her family. She refrained again, digging a nail into her thigh to prevent it from happening.

Rafe expected her to answer. His breath, shallow and quiet. River tried to find the words that would enlighten him, to slyly set his suspicion to the side and let her go. She had her reasons to lie; it wasn't the time to speak the whole truth to him, the Loup-garoux. River shifted her eyes and he followed them. Her lips quivered when she looked back to him. His nails grazed her skin.

"Is that fear residing in your eyes?"

No, River wanted to answer him. It was something different; something you wouldn't expect. She grows angry. River tightened her hands into fists trying her best to resist saying anything. With his dark laughter and the gentle kiss to her forehead, River believed she was safe enough to draw a comfortable breath. He rose from the bench, confidently lifting her to her feet. River unexpectedly kept her cool.

"Shall we insist on a more private location?"

Rafe didn't her an objection. He smiled, hooked his arm around hers and escorted her to the silver car waiting for them at the end of the park. He forced her inside first, and then he entered after her. His father hadn't looked back at them as he sped off into the street.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: R&R!!

River decided best to keep herself quiet while Gabriel drove through the city to stop at a familiar area. They had taken her back to where she first met Rafe; the usually crowded lounge. Rafe kept a firm hold on River's upper arm as Gabriel unlocked the door and permitted the two to enter. Rafe had no been so kind to River as they strolled down the same extended hall and down the stairs. He had chosen to sit her on a couch while he and his father stood.

"Comfortable, my little flower?" Rafe strode over to the bar to serve himself a drink while his father grabbed a chair, twisted it and sat down.

River tried not to look at Gabriel but found it nearly impossible not to as he was too near for comfort. His dark eyes studied her in a much more better light than the post office. She was certainly unusual than his son's preferred choice of women. No tourist learned the likes of Loup-garoux; so finding out that the girl mentioned something about Loup-garoux made him wonder what she knew.

"Now," Rafe brought his own chair to settle next to his father's. They both stared at River. "Darling, Lily. Tell us what you know of Loup-garoux. You've come all this way to find them and it would be heartbreaking to let you leave without knowing."

Gabriel sneered momentarily. "That would be the last."

River arched a brow. She understood that Loup-garoux needed to keep their presence low if they were to live without trouble. River could sympathize with that. She admitted defeat by slumping on the couch.

"You may not believe me but I come from a family that have much curiosity about nature's dark secrets. We've stumbled across reports of Loup-garoux in America but there was hardly any evidence to study. We are hunters if you'd like to have a better term. My family lives to broaden their knowledge of out-of-the-shadow things. My mother traced Loup-garoux legends here in Romania, it was said that this is the original homeland where they reigned for generations." River spoke confidently. "As a mission, I volunteered to travel to Romania to prove that the legends were not false. If they were to be false then people of the elder age were silly to create a story that others believe wholeheartedly happened back then. I'm certain that true Loup-garoux, if ever in these parts, are rare because people fear too easily. For all my family knows, there is a fraction left. You might say that we carry a sympathy for them."

"And, you honestly believed that Loup-garoux exists?" Gabriel questioned. River nodded. "Then, you have traveled all the way to Romania for nothing." He needed to make her believe that they didn't exist. He wanted to see for himself if she'd react passionately about their existence and her opinion.

"Then you deny your own existence." River's voice went low just then. She stared down at her hands."

"What makes you think we are Loup-garoux?"

"Studying. Both of you behave as though you rule the city, the world if ever. You," River pointed to Rafe. "--took it upon yourself to rename me, claim your territory with a proud voice and order me about. True, I seemed foolish to do what I was told. Everyone, or those that I saw behaved the same way, and what gave the idea away was the fact that only the chosen enter this lounge. Everyone's behavior gave the hint of something not normal; your movements, your voices, everything. My family is very observing. But, I'm sure what you are thinking is will I say anything about my discovery. What for?" Her eyes traveled from Rafe to Gabriel then back. "Everyone has their right to keep their second life in secret."

Rafe swallowed the last bit of his drink.

Gabriel rose from his chair to the replace back at the table.

"You are very clever to spill every last detail. You seemed to have been quite prepared to explain your reason for visiting Bucharest. But, we can't let you go so easily."

"Why not?"

"We can't trust anyone too easily. You see, hunters have many faces. . Beauty is just a mask. You are to stay here for how long?"

River crossed her arms. "I asked my family if I could stay for another week longer if I couldn't manage to use the few days arranged. They wanted me to study Loup-garoux, learn their ways if it was possible."

"And you lived where?"

"I lived at the Orange Crest Apartments temporarily."

"What room?"

River knew where this was headed. "Three Twenty-five."

Gabriel paced back and forth. He kept quiet for a minute while Rafe kept his eyes on River. He hid his smile behind his folded arms.

"So, were you aware that someone was murdered in your apartment?"

"I heard about it when I came back. I had gone to a neighboring city to see if I could find any remnant of the Loup-garoux tales, everything led back here."

Gabriel cleaned his fingers. He held back his smile altogether. "Why aren't you worried about people looking through your things?"

"Should I be worried about them finding my clothes?" River said smartly. "I have nothing to hide."

"Except the fact there was no sign of forced entry other than the landlady entering by the way of her keys. You see, my son and I thoroughly looked over your apartment. There were things we found that are very questionable."

"Such as?"

Rafe rose to his feet. "The way your landlady was discovered; mangled and possibly eaten. That left us to believe that while you were gone, an escaped zoo animal crept into your room on the second floor and waited for someone helpless to enter. When the news broke out, the Loup-garoux started to fear whether or not hunters were going to come after us to finish us off."

"And, what my son has told me, it is a mere coincidence that you happen to arrive when the chaos did."

River stared at them. Her eyes closed to slits as they accused her of murdering the woman simply because she lived in the set apartment building. She gently brushed her tongue along her lips then smiled. "That is a brilliant assumption. You gentlemen seem to have everything planned out but as I told you, I wasn't at my apartment. I left in the early afternoon after having coffee with your son. I took whatever money and caught the train. I was only to be gone a half a day and came home when they announced her death. I wept then knew everyone would look in my direction because I lived there."

Rafe came over to her, towering threateningly. River stared up at him with an empty gaze. She had nothing to really hide from them. "You are still lying because last night, there was another attack. What a strange coincidence that the postal worker that held you a gunpoint was found dead in the same manner as Dolores Rosin, and the customers, I can't honestly say they were given a chance."

River listened to him, incredulously. "For your information my friend, I never went back. I stayed sleeping outside."

"In a zoo?"

"You've been following me."

"I can't help but follow you."

River laughed softly. "And, I'm sure you are going to question why I was sleeping there? I had no where else to go."

Rafe was the only one speaking to her. Gabriel had gone off to drink alone by the bar. He could hear their conversation loud and clear.

"You could have taken it upon yourself to come back over here. That way, we could eliminate you as a suspect. You see, the hunters have begun to rally to hunt this animal down. We decided to take our own chance in hunting this thing down."

River climbed to her feet, smoothed her shirt and then smiled. "Then I wish you gentlemen good luck in finding whatever this is. Hopefully, your secret will remain safe. I, in fact, would hope for the better."

When she started to leave, Rafe grabbed her by the arm.

"You are definitely something worth keeping nearby."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Gabriel takes it upon himself to investigate. R&R!!

The evening was young; the investigation was set to the side so that Rafe enjoyed the company of his newly acquainted Lily. Once Gabriel chose to leave to further investigate, he had allowed his son to continue interrogating his American friend. Gabriel felt that from the beginning, Lily seemed too good to be true. Why would anyone want to come all that way to read on their legends, their inner most secrets. What would benefit from knowing that Loup-garoux existed?

Gabriel sat in his car pondering further on the girl's intention. He again found things too strange to take to heart. He drove off, returning to Orange Crest to do a more comfortable investigation while in the light. As he entered the apartment, the smell of old blood and soil carpet struck his senses that he covered his nose with the sleeve of his coat. Pieces of carpet had been stripped for evidence; a simple procedure for the police to take. Gabriel avoided stepping on the carpet. He maneuvered around the room as he did the night before.

The police had kept the room boarded well, and everything lay untouched. Gabriel wasn't planning to focus on the obvious. Something had to have been there, something had to have revealed more. He felt more and more convinced that Lily was not who she said she was. He protected his family, his people from hunters. He would not take this girl so easily.

He looked through every drawer, carefully covering his hand with his sleeves. She had nothing out of the ordinary. Her clothes were neatly folded in the medium oak dresser provided; boots were lined at the wall. Gabriel relied on his senses to lead him back beneath the bed. He found strands of hair tangled to the box spring. He grabbed what he could and though the chances were minimal. He took a breath. Days went by that the strands of hair had been enveloped by the stench of blood. Gabriel abandoned failure. He took another breath. A pheromone tickled his nose; something sweet, something unimaginably different than what he came to favor. His eyes flicked with awakening. He tucked the strands of hair into his coat pocket and went on looking through her belongings.

Gabriel looked through every crevice, every possible area of the apartment for anything significant. He crouched over the waste bin next to the desk finding crumpled paper. Gabriel smoothed out each page to find numerous attempts of letter writing. He read what he could in the fair light coming from the window.

…_I'll find their establishment. They are getting very smart. They are learning to take caution and care for the own. Hunters wouldn't find them so easily; that is a good thing. Father, why do they interest you so? I know that I am not allowed to question you so often; but I simply wonder what your intentions are. You might be angered by what I have to tell you thus far, of course, you might be astonished as well that I've managed to come close to one of them. I have…taken an interest to him. Please do not…_

Gabriel could read no more. Every other sentence had been crossed out thoroughly. Lily was not too confident in writing a letter to her father. In fact, she discarded the letter entirely. Gabriel had no use for the other letter. He had what he needed and left.

---

River woke to the sound of music. Rafe had allowed her to sleep after their long hour of conversation, if conversation was modest to reveal. She hadn't known that Rafe lived there; his bedroom was upstairs over the bar. She had the perfect view from where she stood after approaching the window, the glass frosted but still able to see some form of activity below. She reached for the doorknob, jingling it a little. Rafe locked her inside. Her second attempt became meaningless as she crossed the bedroom to distract herself with a shower.

She forgot how wondrous it was to even bath in cool, clean water. Her skin could not have felt better than it did then. She washed away days old grime, soil…and blood. River leaned to the wall, allowing the water to caress every curve of her lean body. But, she wouldn't be fooled by the luxurious bath too long. River stepped out, heedlessly drying her body and finding her clothes. She needed to hurry before anything happened.

---

Gabriel came back to the lounge with a strong purpose. He was going to talk to Lily. Young women of the Loup-garoux turned when he entered. They allowed him to pass without complaint even the desire to talk to him seemed urgent and needed. Gabriel went over to Rafe who sat entertaining a few friends.

"I need to talk to you."

Rafe unpleasantly excused himself from his circle to follow his father in a more quiet location beneath the stairs. The music hadn't wavered that they drew closer to speak levelly.

"What is it now, Gabriel?"

"Where is Lily?"

Rafe showed a satisfied grin. "She's sleeping upstairs. We had a long conversation; a well deserved one. Americans can be so easy to convince."

Gabriel assured that his son had done the unthinkable with a Human; still, his laws hadn't forbid that…until now. He withdrew the letter from his coat pocket and handed it to his son. Rafe read the letter. He smiled afterward.

"What is this?"

"That," as Gabriel pointed to. "was the letter she was going to send to her family; that girl says she is no hunter but she is tracking us down. I don't think she has told us everything."

Rafe smirked, handed the letter back to his father and looked far from him. "What did you propose to do?"

Gabriel looked to his son with determination. His eyes flickered with power; it seemed obvious what he wanted to do and though he had power over his son, the lounge was his to decide. Rafe briefly chuckled from his father's behavior.

"Do you really believe that will force her to tell us what she has been holding back?"

"We frighten even the most toughest criminals. Surely, we can do the same especially if that girl has been lying to us the entire time. Several Loup-garoux have been killed since she has come to Bucharest, don't you think that is a little peculiar."

Rafe grimaced. He brought his hand to his mouth and dove into thought. "Well, there are plenty of tourists, why not hunt them down to see if they are the infamous Loup-garoux killer."

"Do not make this a joke, my son. I still lead and if you defy me, I will have you released from your pack."

"You come to your conclusion that my sweet Lily is the one that we are looking for?" Rafe sounded depressed then. He looked toward the crowded lounge. He had others to entice him longer than Lily would, but she was a challenge to find the entire time. He took his keys from his back pocket and started for the stairs. Gabriel went behind him.

Rafe unlocked his bedroom door and went inside to find that Lily had gone. His window was half opened and cold breeze flooded his room. Gabriel went to the window, growling at the idea of his son being careless. Rafe looked to his father.

"If she had nothing to hide. She would not have run."

Gabriel shoved his son out of his way.

They needed to find River, fast.


	12. Chapter 12

River tried to flee as far as she could in her weakened condition. She fell against people trying to regain her footing. She made it obvious that she was not well. River fell to her knees and leaned to a street lamp where she took deep breaths and forcibly rose to her feet. By leaving, River gave the Loup-garoux path into her concealed guilt. She hurried further down the street until she came to the zoo.

Police tape wrapped around each gate to forbid anyone from passing. The groundskeepers were the only ones allowed inside but that never stopped River to enter from a back alley. She climbed the narrow branches, eased lower to the concrete, and silently land. Her arms lay on her abdomen as she experienced a piercing sting. River supported herself on the tree as she bent forward with sickness. Afterwards, she wiped her mouth with her hand. She remembered feeling sick days earlier and it wasn't because of the accusations leaning toward her; it was the fact that she hadn't embraced the Change since her arrival to Bucharest. Her body wanted to ache with fulfillment.

River needed to take precaution even more. Her eyes shifted from the variance of wind howling through the trees and the hissing of the leaves upon the concrete; she had an odd sense that someone other than herself laid present at the zoo. Her eyes observed the shadows, the slumbering beasts, and streets beyond the gate.

Nightfall, River noted as a veil of black swelled overhead. She sat under the tree unable to move further. Her eyes lowered heavily as though sleep eluded her. River refused to accept the Change; she was not ready, she wanted to hold back as much as possible to clear her name. River bent over to the side again as another wave of nausea conquered her.

"That is what happens when you tangle with their world. You begin to lose who you are and what we are is nothing more what we were born to be…hunters."

With her head lowered, River lifted her eyes as they were consumed by shadow. She followed the voice to the gated tree across from her. There, lined by moonlight, a womanly silhouette. A curtain of gold hair waved fluidly in the icy wind of night. Eyes of frost blue, much like River's, rose to view the parting veil of clouds to see the moon.

"It is a constant struggle that we suffer each day to dwell in these vulnerable shapes. Does it not hurt you to refuse what you truly need and you should have known that when our kind experience the sensual act, we immediately Change; consider it forbidden though very needed."

"I am no hunter. I know my limit."

"Are you sure?" Delilah crossed over to River, crouching down to stare at her at eye level. "What was one person, no? How about two or three, maybe four!"

River shook her head. "The first was an accident. I left Bucharest as soon as it happened. I knew leaving was the best thing to regain my balance."

"But, it didn't end there did it. You attacked more people and left the evidence everywhere. I knew you were not the perfect choice to come to Bucharest; you are just a child after all." Delilah pushed River without much effort. "So, how did that woman taste on your tongue, how did the mangy Loup-garoux cry as you tore into them? Your father was pathetic to even allow you to come here."

"It was an accident; every one else was fine."

"That is very unlikely."

River opened her eyes. They resided to their natural state of frost blue. She no longer needed to struggle with maintaining her sickness; it seemed to have gone. She stared at Delilah.

"What did you call them?"

Delilah looked at River. Her brows furrowed. "What?"

"The Loup-garoux."

"Mangy, filthy dogs."

River noted that something about the letter. Her father held respect for the Loup-garoux; he never referred to them in a vulgar language. She had to recall the entire letter. She never mentioned to have revealed herself in her previous letter. In fact, her father never knew of the accident let alone the murders days later. Something was not right altogether when she looked at Delilah. Though beautiful as the woman seemed, she had her deceitful ways.

"Delilah, do believe me to be a fool? I'll admit that the first murder was an accident, a slip that should have been done better, but it didn't. However, I was not near the postal office because I came here. Rafe knew that I was here, which meant he was watching me the entire time. During that, you must have taken your chance to ruin me further by murdering those people because it seemed likely since I frightened the postal worker. The others were innocent bystanders."

Delilah shrieked. "What makes you think that it was me?"

"Who else than the woman wanting to be with my father. This is what its all about. You thought that while I'm here you would use my vulnerability. Now, the Loup-garoux will begin to think that it is I whom has been spilling the blood of their kind. The woman, Dolores, was not a Loup-garoux, they had no reason to place their heart into the investigation, but it was when the postal worker found mangled, they stepped further to hunt this murderer down."

Delilah tucked her hands into her pockets. Her face stayed passive and none too easy to read. "I'm touched that you've considered my person as the one committing these atrocities."

"You have no business here. I would never allow it because being that my mother is gone, I have taken the next rank, as would my children. You would remain the lowly mistress my father couldn't help but fancy. That is the only thing you were ever good at. But, why would you try to ruin things here, you have no power except the Change. Here, the Loup-garoux has their say." River took a breath. Her mouth twitched into a smile that faded too soon.

"A bold word for a girl refusing to accept what she is."

"No, Delilah. I know what I am and I know when it's the right place to bask. What you have done has ruined our chances."

Delilah walked over to a cage. Her eyes rolled from River's words. "And what were we going to do? Become their little watchdogs? Our ancestors would be furious with us."

"New ages come and go, this is what my father wished. You have no right to defy him; you have broken my family out of greed. What would you have done, finished me then my father? None would let you pass. You want to live as you are then so be it; don't bring my family with you because we are the pride of our kind. Our people depend on us just as the Loup-garoux depends on theirs. You see, we do have a common ground."

"You favor those mangy dogs. I pity you because we are much greater than they."

River shook her head. "No, Delilah, it is I who pity you. You had to cause this much chaos to get what you wanted and what it seemed to be was a war between them and us. Now, I must correct this and do what I was never to do while here. I have to tell them who I truly am. From this day forth, you are no longer a part of our family. We will see to it that you say nothing more."

"As I said again, bold words." Delilah turned to look at River. They shared a strong glare without speaking. River advanced very little.

"My question is simple. Why?"

"Because I wanted you dead. I assumed that while here in Bucharest you'd bury yourself into your grave but you avoided it. You are a smart girl." Delilah abruptly turned. Her shoulders slumped and her hands gripped the security gates tightly. She forbid from Changing.

"If I was naïve then I would have. Maybe, it was because I feared what they thought of me. Spending a few days in Bucharest made me realize that it's inevitable to fight who we really are. But, for the sake of keeping ourselves from harm, we have no choice."

Delilah turned slightly. Her hair began to drain from color. It became evident that Delilah was not going to allow River to say anymore. River stood her ground at the ready. River wanted to embrace the Change when in private, now it seemed that it was impossible because now, River caught the scent of Loup-garoux thickening. They were getting closer to finding her.

"Are you scared to show what you truly are!"

River grimaced. "I'm proud to."

Now, River was not going to allow the Loup-garoux to intimidate her as they drew near. Though her fingers grew numb by the moment, her heart raced from the excitement of revealing to Rafe what she was.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: To go on with the adventure.

Delilah crouched, her coat spread amongst her that it was nearly difficult to keep an eye on her. Being much older than River, the Change wouldn't have taken long. Cloaked by her coat, Delilah struggled less and though pain tinged every limb, her body accepted it.

River clenched her jaw, tilted her head back, and took a breath. She felt as though her body tumbled backwards and became light as air. Her fingers tried to capture the wind between them and though she found the Loup-garoux near, River could not stop. The Change occurred. What was skin had torn and split to reveal moistened fur. Unlike the Loup-garoux, River's body shed its thin layer of skin, it was a constant reminder that she was not normal; never would be.

She fell forward onto her knees, collapsing on the concrete and caught herself. Blood trickled from eyes signifying that going back was too late; she was too near. Her bones twisted, reshaped beneath lean muscle, and joined. River arched her back at the final turmoil and gave a roar as the product of the transformation ended. She stood in her glory as a Dyir, a black leopard, strong and true. River never needed to wait for Delilah had completed her own and began to circle the younger leopard.

River kept her eyes on Delilah, and though they appeared identical, she shone her mannerism different. Her body moved fluidly ready to counter Delilah when needed. They had an audience before them, the Loup-garoux. River decided to no longer be bashful, she would not allow Delilah to intimidate her. River moved first; Delilah swiftly dodged to swipe River along her back. River had not planned her attack; what she thought of was her mother and that alone gave her enough motives to rip away at Delilah. She wondered of her father anticipated such treachery from the woman he fancied. Or, was he that blinded.

Delilah leapt onto River's back and bit down, River shook her off and snapped her jaw onto her combatant's arm. She'd stagger a moment from the surprised laceration. River focused more on wounding Delilah's limbs than anything else, without balance, Delilah would fall giving River the edge to end it.

The two leopards fought beneath the moonlight. Rafe stood captivated and silent. His father could say nothing and avoided the scene by staying close into the shadows, as did the other Loup-garoux. River yelped as Delilah again bit the same area. River parted, her blood spattered amongst the concrete. Delilah shook her head and her own spattered; River managed to wound her face, nearly wounding her eyes. River lowered her shoulders, revealed blood stained teeth as a warning. Her ears lay flat against her head. She was not one to toy with.

Delilah dashed forward as did River. She pinned her making one last attempt to wound her, River swiftly moved and tackled Delilah, her mouth clamped to her throat. When the taste of blood spilt into her mouth, River found satisfaction; and just as the woman she killed, River pressed harder to suffocate Delilah. Suddenly, River was thrown to the side. Her large form slid onto the asphalt and thudded against a gated tree.

Gabriel had intervened, Delilah was grateful for that. She lay with her head on her paws, her breathing shallow. One more second, River might have won. Now, she rose onto her paws, limping from both the laceration and the landing to the gate. Still, Delilah bled. With both leopards fighting and without distinct separation, Gabriel could not figure who was who unless by scent; however, their scent was mixed as was their blood. The Loup-garoux approached River believing her to be the other.

River shown her warning even when Rafe approached her in his own natural form; his eyes gave him away and as he came closer along with his pack, she refused to approach. The Loup-garoux advanced while Gabriel examined Delilah. She had little to give and hardly moved.

Being outnumbered left River to do one thing; flee. She tried to find a way out, even the slightest break in the circle would have giving her a chance. One of the Loup-garoux took its chance and bound towards her. Not one to accept it, River responded, her claws dreadfully sharp wounded the female. With her back vulnerable, two more bound for the leopard. River found no way of leaving unscathed by the Loup-garoux; a part of her never expected their sympathy.

The animals within the cages reacted in a frenzy. River shook her body as a lace of blood swept from her wounds. She hadn't killed them, wounded them but left them with their life. And as Rafe came, River backed away again. He growled in defense and warning. River tried not to appear frightening. She backed away again, the Loup-garoux advanced, trapping her. With the way her body swayed, the leopard relinquished its threat. She grew tired and weak but was not going to be stopped there. She gave a roar then leapt into the tree, traveling as she traditionally did as a shadow amongst the night.

River forced her injured body to move faster without turning to see if any Loup-garoux followed. She traveled further throughout Bucharest, her blood dried over the wounds at her shoulder, River seemed relieve of it. Still, she ran further into the woods. Out of breath, her large body collapsed onto the ground. She traveled far from the city limits, protected and guarded by the woods. River lay on her side, wounded and tired. Her visitation was not supposed to go that way. She was sent to study them and the turn of events surprised her indefinitely.

By morning, Delilah passed; the proud beast shifted back into its human disguise, not allowing the world to know the existed. Gabriel discarded what was left of the woman and swore under his breath. For the second time, River escaped.

"Have you found her?" He asked Rafe when he, along with his friends met Gabriel back at the lounge.

"No, there is no trace of her we can't risk going back to the zoo."

"What about the others?" Gabriel swallowed a shot of liquor; his fury thick in his voice.

"They are fine, just wounded but they'll live."

Gabriel turned to look at Rafe. "I want that girl back here by tonight. Send whoever is willing to search for her, do not take her lightly. We can outnumber her here, she has no where to go."

Rafe's friends took their leave, climbing the stairs and exiting the lounge while Rafe stayed there. His expression was passive for the moment. "What are you planning?"

Gabriel served himself another drink. "To talk to her. She said a lot last night; I have every right to question her, if she objects, she dies."

"You can't honestly go forward with that."

"Why not, do you care for her?"

Rafe swallowed back his answer. "Not really, I just don't think you should be so harsh."

Gabriel slid his shot glass across the bar and turned to his son. "Rafe, you are not thinking. She is dangerous, even more so by herself. She will be caged until I'm satisfied of what she tells me. I've had enough of her toying with the strings. In fact, she should not have come to Bucharest. Now, go and find her."

Rafe licked his lips as he went into thought. The zoo would be the last place she'd return to, but she did run. He needed to think of finding her before the others. River was marked and not in a good sense. With his friends, Rafe went back to the zoo to the tree she climbed in to flee. His eyes scanned the grime-coated ground for traces of blood. He found a small path leading from the zoo into the alley. After a while, the trail of blood ended leaving him to carry on by her scent, the true scent that clouded his mind. Rafe waved for his friends to head in the direction his pointed while he continued on foot.

Lead by her scent, Rafe stepped into the mouth of the woods near the Gathering. Had she gone there? Rafe carried on with the search. No one called his phone to report anything, he admitted that River was good at hiding, most times; he had luck for simply finding her. He went inside alone, every step familiar, every musk repetitive. The Loup-garoux gathered at the stone entrance upon every hunt; unlike then, the grounds were for the taking; River was their prime target. Rafe ducked under low branches as he entered the field of trees. Light penetrated through the canopy very little giving Rafe the chance to use his senses. Her smell radiated with each breeze, thicker and thicker.

He drew closer. He lifted his eyes to the trees as he went further, deeper into the woods. Where did she hide, he asked. Her scent was everywhere, touched every leaf. She was clever enough to create confusion whether or not she thought to. Then, as he listened to the creek feet away, he saw her. His heart suddenly stopped at the sight of her nude body curled to the tree, her arms crossed to shelter from the cold. Rafe stayed frozen in place, any further movement would wake her. He reached into his pocket for his phone, though unlikely it worked from there, he let it go. Rafe crouched behind tree to use that time to think.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I think I've grown attached to this fanfiction. Can you tell? Remember, I do NOT own any of the B/C characters except for River/Lily. Please read and tell me what you think!

Rafe came to his senses as he approached River cautiously. The slightest crackle of leaves could wake her; if she slept, that was the last he wanted. He came closer, peering down at her sleeping face that was smeared with both blood and dirt. She reeked from her injuries. Her shoulder appeared bruised where Delilah sank her teeth; the claw marks on her thighs concerned him. He wanted to slip his hand into her hair to wake her in the gentlest way he thought of. He resisted finding that her hair caked with dried blood and soil. On her wrists were the evident gashes from the confronting Loup-garoux. Rafe tried to imagine what pain coursed through her lithe body, why she hadn't whimpered or shed a single tear while in sleep.

He lowered his hand and brushed her hair from her face. Traces of blood chipped from her cheeks. She did cry, Rafe noted the evident trail. He removed her coat to cover her. He tried not to allow the faintest twitch to conceive into a smile. He saw River in her truest nature; she lay there vulnerable not as a young woman but herself; her true self. Rafe lifted her into his arms, tenderly cradling her wounded body to his. His father wanted to find her, and Rafe did.

A knot tightened in his throat from ideal of River being in the hands of his father. True, he needed to talk to her though the rage that pulsed in his veins lead Rafe to believe his father had other plans for her. Rafe traveled through the woods discreetly trying to make it to his mother's. He avoided streets taking the alleys until he found his mother's home. Vivian would be there and more than likely, she'd question about his sudden visitation with a wanted girl.

Rafe used his foot to kick open the door and hurried up the stairs. He called for his mother; Vivian came from the kitchen first. She stared at her cousin with emptiness. Her eyes, a rich hazel, flickered warmly upon seeing the injured girl. She remembered that that was whom Gabriel warned them of. Rafe called for his mother again.

"What's going on?" Astrid came from her bedroom apparently disturbed from a nap. Her hair slightly ruined by the pillows. "What are you doing?"

"She's injured badly. Everyone is looking for her, I thought this might be one of the last places to hide her until she's better."

Astrid approached her son. The injured River had not stirred even while conversation occurred. Her head rested to Rafe's chest, hypnotized by the beat of his heart. Astrid looked to her son, billowing a heavy sigh and waved her hand so that he followed her to the spare bedroom next to Vivian's. Rafe laid River upon the bed.

"I'll need to be discreet when buy bandages for her. You say they are looking for this girl then everyone Gabriel knows will have an observing eye. Vivian," she called from the room. "Bring me a sheet from the closet. I'll use what I have until then." Astrid assured her son that River would be fine. Rafe fell into a nearby chair, exhausted.

"I take that this girl rubbed Gabriel the wrong way." Vivian inquired when she brought the sheet. Her aunt worked on ripping even strips. Rafe glared at his cousin with cold eyes then looked over to River.

"She had been hiding things from him, things he wanted to know."

"Your father does have a temper nowadays. With this murderer on the loose, he fears that the hunters would come back to hunt every last one of us." Astrid crossed into the bathroom and returned with a container of water. She cleaned away the layer of dirt on River's face.

Rafe leaned into the chair to watch his mother. He wanted to tell her that River was the one to blame for the first fright in Bucharest then add that her companion did the rest. He heard a good amount of their conversation, regardless of the information; his father grew more furious at the fact that River lied to them. Now, he risked his own person to protect her while she remained vulnerable.

"Why not tell your father that you haven't found her. That can give us some time to aid her wounds." Astrid bathed River's shoulder receiving a slight response. Dabbing the wound with water gave way to a bit of blood seeping from the mark. "Had our people done this?"

Rafe stood from the chair, nodding. Some of her injuries did come from Loup-garoux, the other half from the beast she fought. Rafe went into the kitchen for a drink. Vivian followed suit to watch him. Her arms crossed over her chest. She tried not to reveal a grimace but when he turned, it couldn't have been helped.

"You've never shown compassion for anyone, or anything for that matter." Vivian implied. And as known, Rafe sneered at her. He swallowed the bit of drink he had when she continued. "What changed this time? Or, is this a momentary thing because the girl is near death?"

"That is none of your concern, little Vivian. I will do what I like and show sympathy to those I wish."

"So that's what it is? And, I can imagine that it'll be brief once she's healed."

Rafe crossed into the living room to avoid further confrontation. He was battling his own reasons to be concerned for River; he didn't fancy her, he admitted his concern and that was it. Plus, knowing that his father sought her, made him delay further. Rafe sat down to finish his drink. Vivian followed him making him uncomfortable again. He looked over at her and her brow lifted, expecting him to answer her question. Rafe set the bottle onto the table.

"I have my reasons for keeping her around; she's interesting and even more so from last night. It is no longer your concern."

"So you aren't treating her as we should a human? A meat-girl?"

Rafe showed his back to Vivian. His head ached fiercely and trying to give Vivian a clear answer seemed difficult. He rubbed his temples. Vivian scoffed and returned to the kitchen. He remembered she was still sour over the scuffle about her interest in a boy visiting Bucharest temporarily. Well, suppose he deserved her iciness about the girl he brought over. Rafe stayed near River's bed while his mother bandaged her wounds. With Vivian's help, they managed to settle River more comfortably in the bed.

"I would let her sleep if I were you. She's very weak." Astrid placed her hand to his shoulder then gave him a tender kiss to his cheek.

"Who is she?"

"Her name is River, we crossed paths at the lounge one evening. I told her she couldn't leave until I found her unworthy. I was stubborn that evening, plus, she never did as she was told to do. I gave her a new name, one that meant more than her own."

Astrid looked down at his son. "You can't rule over anyone, it's not your place to do so. And, I can assume you have found her worthy otherwise you wouldn't have brought her here. Right? Think before you act. Keep an eye on her, when she wakes bring her some food."

Astrid left her son alone with River. She politely closed he door and when on with her business. Rafe sat by the bed looking over at River. She would still need a bath to clean her hair. Where his mother bathed wounds he saw the discoloring bruises. He imagined how fierce her body ached even in sleep. Rafe pondered leaving her to go back to his father; perhaps, in a more private conversation to tell him that he found her in the woods. Rafe erased the idea again; he wanted to wait until she woke up, whenever that might be. He leaned over to brush his fingers over her hand trying to find the slightest response.

"Lily, open your eyes. I know that you can hear me. Move your hand to let me know you can hear me."

River's finger moved once from instinct. He smiled even more that she responded to the name he gave her; she did hold his interest after all, Vivian noted from the smile her cousin gave when seeing River move slightly. She walked from the door, leaving them be.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: If none of you have guessed what movie that influenced the creation of the Dyir then I'll tell you. It is from the 80's movie Cat People. And, I've not really come to terms trying to elaborate what they really are because to me they have always been known as panthers than the specific term, a black leopard. So, as the story goes on, I'm going to refer River as a panther. And, unlike the plot from the movie, the Dyir evolved from the large cat. Basically, the human skin is their disguise, a newer way of communicating in the new world.

---

The search continued throughout the night with no avail. River's scent seemed impossible to follow for it led right back to where Rafe had found her. Gabriel's temper rose by the hour. He hadn't heard from his son and it gave him the incentive that he knew where she was. Gabriel hesitated to look for him simply because every other Loup-garoux joined in the hunt to find River. He was pleased that his family stood together even after near exposure.

Gabriel promised that who ever found River would be the first to track her during the hunt. He saw a new wave of excitement as the Loup-garoux went forth to search for River. Gabriel decided to head off in his own direction. The city of Bucharest lay in the hands of the Loup-garoux that night. River had no chance of escape

--

Rafe remained by the bed. He slumped further into its comfort and nearly fell asleep. He refused to sleep even a minute, as he grew more worried over River's condition. He tried to coax a response from her and received none. His mother entered the bedroom offering to watch over her; Rafe declined leaving her side. He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and thought long and hard over the situation. Before long, his father would show up to the house to discover River sleeping.

"What did she do, Rafe?" Astrid came to sit on the opposing chair. Her eyes stared questioningly at her son. Sooner or later, Rafe would need to tell her. And, Astrid grew tired of waiting. "You said that she is hiding things from your father, like what?"

Rafe reached over for the glass of water on the bedside table. He wanted to wait a moment more before answering; he couldn't avoid it for long. He finished the water and held the glass.

"You remember about the first murder that frightened Bucharest?" He looked over at his mother then went on. "You are looking at that person."

Astrid looked over at River. "This girl?"

Rafe nodded. He waited to hear an objection from his mother, and feared being thrown outside. But when she stayed quiet, he went on. "Last night, some things happened. Things were said. Mother, we are not the only ones out there. I've seen what this girl can do!" He emphasized his point by waving a finger at River. "She is no woman as I thought when I first saw her. In fact, she fooled me, fooled everyone."

"Is she another one of us?" Astrid asked with a hopeful voice. She frowned when her son shook his head. His face was slightly flushed. "Then what?"

Rafe continued to nervously pace back and forth. "She changed into something unexpected. I should have noticed how they reacted when she approached them. They looked to her as though she were one of them."

Astrid came over to hold her son by his shoulders. "What? Tell me. What did she change into? If you say that there are others then tell me what she changed into."

"Be patient and we'll find out again."

Astrid and Rafe turned toward the door. They expected to see Vivian standing near but it was Gabriel whom they saw. His eyes stared over his son more than Astrid. He approached the bed to glare as River continued to sleep. Astrid dressed comfortably for the time being. The bed sheet lay on her abdomen. Her minor wounds were left alone to heal by themselves. Her hair was combed and twisted into two braids. Astrid aided River more than he wanted; then again, she was ill informed of the situation with the girl. She appeared so harmless in sleep that Gabriel approached to sit near her. His hand grazed her warm face. He felt her breath on his fingers. There was a brief smile expressed, of course, it hardly lasted when Rafe came to the other side.

Astrid stayed far from the two. She peered down at River somewhat panicked and eagerly wanting to know what was going on. What was the girl presented to her?

Gabriel stared at Rafe then to Astrid.

"She is a magnificent creature. And, just like us, she can choose whether or not to change into what she truly is." Gabriel reached over to touch her face again, River moved. "With her there is no glory in the transformation it is painful; yet, she couldn't resist wanting to stand in her true form. I admire her."

Astrid came over to stand by Gabriel. She stared down at the girl with a more open mind. Her son had said she was something different and now, Gabriel confirmed that she was too. She placed a hand to his shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"Are they going to be looking us?"

Gabriel shook his head. "They could be. I am not sure. What I do know is that this girl is dangerous and still need to tell me what is going on. She has no choice." He turned to his son. "Carry her out, your friends are waiting for you down below."

As Rafe forced himself closer, Astrid stopped him.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Gabriel. She's badly hurt. She needs rest"

Astrid glared over at him. Her eyes were filled with worry over the girl's condition. Whether or not River may have been something different, there was no reason to hurt her further while unconscious. She thought was better than that; but in his revealed the determination to take her away. Astrid had no fight left in her compared to Gabriel. She knew when to back away and allowing him to take the girl was one of them. Gabriel insisted that she come alone to see for herself what River was capable of becoming. Astrid, under that condition, decided to go along. Vivian stayed locked in her bedroom heedlessly avoiding Gabriel. He was still fumed from her own ordeal. She couldn't look him straight in the eyes after that. He spared her from exile and death.

"They are waiting."

Gabriel reminded Rafe as he took his leave. He had some satisfaction at the end of the day. They finally figured out one of the last places to hide a possible rival. He waited for both of them by the stairs. Rafe carried River in his arms. Astrid covered her with a coat. Gabriel sneered that they would act so polite to the young woman. Still, it couldn't be helped that Astrid continued to care for her wellness.

They left the home to enter the streets where Rafe's friend waited below. They looked over at him then to the girl. They said nothing to him as one opened the back door for him to climb inside. Gabriel chose to drive and Astrid sat with her son to keep an eye on the girl. His friends did the same, peering down at River's passive face. They drove to the lounge where others waited. If River tried to escape, she had a very slim chance of surviving.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Due to my laptop needing repairs, I won't have the chance to update too many entries. Sad, but true; this is until I get a reply from the technician. I'm sad about this. Anyways, enjoy with what I've uploaded. R&R!

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They laid her within a cage, bound her with a steel collar, and allowed her to wake on her own. Gabriel didn't trust her whatsoever that he had them bound her further at the hands with matching material. He could not risk even the slightest freedom while she slept. He stared into the cage. River was propped up against the wall, her head low and legs straight. Even in sleep she appeared dangerous and could wake in any moment.

The Loup-garoux stood near and looked into the cage to find the girl sleeping within the hour. Rafe and Astrid stayed on the left of the cage in reach to touch her but Gabriel ordered them back when River began to twitch. Her breathing came hazily; she struggled to regain consciousness. Her head waved side to side slowly.

River lifted her head, gazing past the iron bars and smiled over toward Gabriel. She figured that that would be his plan to lock her in a safety cage. If that were a way to intimidate her, then he would be sorely wrong. Resting within a cage came in handy for her bloodline; it held resistance whenever they believed they were too dangerous around others. Being bound was a second choice in safety matters and clearly, River noted the heaviness within her hands and neck. She blatantly tugged on the heavy chains in her weakened state. Her eyes were half opened, tired, and heavily lidded. Still, in that state, they rested in their natural frost blue tint.

"Frightened are we?" River managed to say between hazy breaths. "Afraid that I'm going to rip each and every one you to pieces." She finally coughed, shaking her body in the aftermath and finally managed to stand on her feet. The floor was icy against her warmth.

"You are going to tell me everything. You have no chance of escaping, if you do, the Loup-garoux will finish you."

River leaned to the iron bars not amused by the strength of his voice. She was too tired to care what he had to say; apparently, in thought, River was concerned if her father received her first letter, and undoubtedly the second. She knew if he hadn't heard from her, he would come find her. She risked each one of the Loup-garoux while she stood barricaded in the cage. She waved a finger at him.

"You have that happen then you will awaken a war that is not needed. I'm the one that saved your tails in the first round; lets see who will save you in the second." River chuckled darkly, her mannerism not as alert and not proper. She was still half balanced.

One of the Loup-garoux approached the cage and Gabriel stopped him from moving further. River covered her mouth from laughing. She waved her finger again.

"Let me guess, you'll want to know everything about me. Well, I wasn't planning to tell you anything since this was strictly an observation," River held onto the bars for support. "Quite to the point that it didn't go so well, I was caught red handed and now needing to be dealt with, yes?"

Gabriel came closer to the cage, growling. "Did you kill that woman?"

"The portly landlady?" River tilted her head back. "Afraid that my little observation crashed on that evening so to speak, but, I'll be honest and answer with a yes. Her death was an accident. My inner being was hungry as well; of course, her flesh didn't settle me when I changed back. You see, you have it made. You can Change whenever, and wherever you please; it does not hurt you, you thrive for it, whereas I, its torture. If I could stay as a beast the rest of my life, I would because it is what I am. Walking around in this skin only gives me a voice."

River started to walk casually around the cage, the chains clanking against one another. Gabriel continued to growl just as the Loup-garoux behind him did.

"You don't realize how much you have it made in this era. You pity yourselves because you are outnumbered when you know damn well how to fix that. You choose not too because you are so dependant on this human form and believe you are higher because you can change into a wolf; an animal or not, you'll always be vulnerable. You try to keep hidden, no? The more you advertise your whereabouts the more likely these hunters will come after you. You are all afraid to go after them and you go killing the criminals that are well deserved for punishment. Tell me if I'm not mistaken because those woods were saturated with old blood, none of which were from your, well, I caught least three. You must have had a fighter on your hands at that time."

Gabriel came over to the left, moved his son and Astrid from the cage. He lifted his hand and grabbed the chain, tugged on it and watched River fall onto her knees. Amused, she laughed and looked up at him.

"You think keeping these chains on me will work? My bloodline finds this to be useful when we cannot handle our strength, when it becomes too overwhelming. We find it both beautiful and a curse." River climbed back onto your feet. "And here the cages should suit you more than I because it will protect you. We do this to protect others; you do it as a way to frighten your own to straighten them out. I'm aware of your niece and her predicament with the hunters; I can understand that you would be furious with her."

"You still have not said what you are."

River smiled. "You never asked. I'm known as a Dyir amongst my people. I'm a royal to be more specific, and royals are jeweled with the most elegant armor when transformed. I chose to go without it because I wanted to appear more domestic as those you find in the zoo. I can fool anyone easily. My name is River Marx. . Not Lily, as your son may have named me." She emphasized her words when she looked over at Rafe. "Simply put, the Dyir is an ancient tribe that sacrificed their women to the proud black leopards of the land, crude as it sounds and very strangely knowing, the bloodline evolved from there; our gift is more of a curse because we cannot love those who we want. Though we are not outnumbered, choosing a lover isn't so easy. My father made it so. When we found out about the incident with the Loup-garoux i.e. your niece, my father became obsessed with its legends. During those three years, he studied nothing more than that, I showed interest soon and he sent me here knowing that I would easily manage to blend within the crowd as long as I disguised myself as a tourist, find your establishment and bring back knowledge and confirmation that you thrive here in Bucharest. Nothing more and nothing less."

Gabriel nodded. "And, did you exactly find what you were looking for?"

River nodded in return then bent down to stretch. "Things could have gone my way if not for the Change to occur. The Dyir have no choice but to when they have sex because it is a natural reaction. Give your son thanks to that. But, during my visitation here, a part of my life from back home came to ruin things for me. Hence, the second panther you saw. She goes by the name of Delilah, apparently while I was gone, my mother went against her in a trial and lost in the fight to defend her honor with my father. I should give thanks to each one of your for finishing her; most likely, she tried to kill me so that she had no more obstacles. You see, for my people, being a royal can go a long way as do any royal family; but we go through trials, battles to be more specific. Its simple, whoever wins remains in their position. I think that is why my father found you interesting because you don't do these things, you take what you want and look where it has got you. . Outnumbered and hunted." River back to meditate; she had given all the information she could to haul the Loup-garoux back from her.

Gabriel chuckled softly. "She finds it very entertaining to know that she'll be hunted soon. You see, how we run things here, you commit a crime, and you pay for it. You and your kind have turned the tables back onto my own. The hunters will know we are here because of you. So, in three days, you will know what its like to be hunted."

River looked up at him with a smug grin. "I wouldn't count on that because my father has not heard from me in days, remember, if you listened, Delilah stole my most recent letter. My father is going to come to find me, you kill me and there will be bloodshed. There is some beauty of being a royal. Now, you can let me go, I can write to him and tell him that I am alive; if its fair game then I can go ahead and allow you to hunt me down in those woods; fair is fair, I have no problem to allow your kind to hunt me at least I'll have the freedom to run in my true skin."

She bargained with him in the kindest way. If he allowed her to write to her father, then things would go smoothly from then on out. The choice was Gabriel's alone. River couldn't depend on his answer, he expressed it all along; she killed someone that possibly led hunters back in their territory, because of her, they might have to go into further hiding. She needed to be dealt with.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: What an energy boost the other day when they showed Cat People. So, here you go, I wasn't sure to add another chapter.

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River found herself content when Gabriel allowed her to write a letter; more than likely, he would read every word, every sentence carefully to see if she had no added her own plea to be set free. Though tired, River wrote the letter to her father. Much like the other time, she had thrown wads of paper from side to side trying to make a comforting report in her long stay in Bucharest.

Rafe sat by the iron bars where River leaned. He tried to read her handwriting but she would cover it with her arm or elevate her lap. She wouldn't let him read the letter. Every other Loup-garoux left one by one no longer needed to watch over the cage with River inside. She was fully awaken and alert than their threatening glares didn't faze her. She proceeded to write the letter to her father and worried more if he would receive it on time before he made his own judgement and come after her. River stopped all of a sudden to glance through the bars at Rafe. He looked back at her. Her brows furrowed and she smiled a little.

"You shouldn't lean so much to these bars. People will get the idea that you actually have affection for the new murder of Bucharest."

"Well, Lily," Rafe was not shy to mention. "You were the one that told everyone of our relation so there is no more harm in sitting next to you to keep you warm."

"You aren't really warming me as I'd like. I'm very cold." River never failed to say then set the pen down. "Besides, I needed to be honest with everything and I was true to what I told everyone, especially to your father. Sex for us is somewhat of a bad thing because we can't hold back the desire to Change. I guess everyone gets to that point in the aftermath. Sometimes it can be beautiful, other times, not so sweet. Since I was trying to keep the Change from happening from the start, it was harder when I went with you."

River went back to writing and Rafe continued to watch her. A smile grew even more when she didn't look back at him; he could understand her now, with what she told him, it was logical that she fled so many times. The scent of Loup-garoux was not helping her one bit. Rafe found the advantage of that. He reached in to gently run his fingers over her cheek to distract her. River nudged his hand with her shoulder. And when he did it again, River quietly laughed.

"You are going to get us both in trouble."

–"Well darling there is no point. You are out in the open, you have no reason to hold back. I thought you would have liked it now that you wouldn't be able to flee."

River glared at him with intensity. "Why not try fleeing with something around your neck and wrists, lets see how far you would go!"

Rafe leaned his head on the bars. His hand rested on her hip. "Oh, come now, the kitty doesn't want to play with the wolf?"

"Show me the wolf first, I guarantee you will not last with me. Bound me all you can you still won't win."

"Is that a promising challenge for the future."

River lowered her head a moment then looked to him. "That's if I have a future after this. My father gave me strict rules not to say anything unless I had no other choice. He will be more upset at the fact that I killed his mistress and it wasn't a proper engagement. We fought out of line, but we are known to defend ourselves if we are threatened."

"I think your father can forgive you. Plus, there is a positive side to these sudden turning of events." Rafe smiled at her. "We know that we aren't the only ones out there with a gift. And, you prevented other Loup-garoux from being killed. We owe you for that."

"What I have is no gift as you make see it. It's a curse, not a pleasure. There a more things that I would like to tell you about this but I've told you more than enough, the most personal ailments is enough to know about than anything else." River went on with her writing. She could feel Rafe staring at her as her neck burned.

"Are you done with the letter."

A girl with rich auburn hair approached the cage to abruptly kick at the cage upon order to interrupt the little conversation between the two. Rafe looked at the girl seemingly less interested and more crossed with her than anything. River said nothing in response and went on. The girl kicked at the cage again, whispering something under her breath that both Rafe and River heard.

River hardly resisted taunting the girl. She threw the pen's cap at her and it landed on her shoulder. "You think you are pretty tough kicking the cage. Why not come inside and do it for real?"

Rafe tried not to smile and it was a struggle to keep his stern appearance. The girl looked more at Rafe than to River. She sneered at River and it made things worse.

"Do you have a problem with me or with him? You seem to be throwing the same look at both of us. Excuse me, my lord." River emphasized when looking at Rafe. "What will you have me do? Parade around in the cage without a toy?" She gave him a sad look.

Rafe smiled at her then turned to the girl. "You were very rude. And, if my father told you to do that I will have a talk with him. Try to kick the cage again, lets see if you'll get that pretty foot back."

River sat there with a smug look on her face then lowered her head to continue writing the letter. Obviously, the girl felt threatened not by her but by Rafe. He was next in line to take command of the pack once Gabriel saw to it that his son was enthralled by a woman of his blood. Of course, Gabriel knew that with River present, that trial might not be so easy. Still, Gabriel needed to allow his son as the lead. He seemed pretty confident in talking with River, and whatever she was.

Gabriel watched the conversation from behind the bar. He delved into drinking alone and patiently waited for River to finish the letter to her father. He didn't want to admit that she was growing on him only because of what she was and she revealed only a brief amount; he knew she had plenty to say.

"If she was trying to be threatening, she wasn't doing a good job. Her fear shrouded her too thickly. I can assume that she hadn't seen me except heard the rumors."

"She'll come to respect you."

River shook her head. "I can care less of the respect. It wasn't I whom she looked at more. She fancies you. Don't you realize when females look at a specific male they become competitive to win his heart?"

Rafe leaned back on the cage, his soft brown hair rested on her arm. She would smile very little as it tickled her. "Oh, so you are going to compete for your lord's heart?"

River chuckled. "From what I remember, I am only here to see if you find me worthy, it never turned around."

He lifted a finger. "It did when you allowed yourself to sleep with me."

River abruptly tugged on his hair. That gesture made him laugh further.

"That was because I couldn't help myself. If I could erase it. . . I would." Her last words were soft. Had she really cared? "Either way, fighting for my lord's heart would be extremely difficult because you won't have me. Look closely, we are not the same bloodline. You need to find yourself a woman with your gift, just like that girl. You need to lift your numbers and prosper with the new age. You can't betray your own just as I can't. I have many lined for me whenever I get back home."

Rafe looked into her eyes and she looked away fast.

"Suppose that is one reason why I took this trip."

"You wanted to avoid responsibility?"

River nodded. She folded the letter and slid it past the bars for Rafe to take it. He did and tucked it into his coat pocket. He then gripped the iron bars.

"And you freed yourself for a moment when you were with me. Why did you tell me this earlier?"

River smiled. "Would you have listened, plus I don't really care for the traditions. My bloodline is of many, what is one Dyir to stray after thousands of years?"

Rafe climbed to his feet after he ran his hand through her hair. He wouldn't pressure her to say anymore; he noticed how quiet she became with even mentioning the topic. Rafe went over to hand the letter to his father.

"She wouldn't mind you reading the letter." He said before heading back to the cage. Gabriel smiled briefly when his son left then waited a moment to begin reading her letter.


	18. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Forgive the delay of any additional chapters to both Blood and Chocolate, the Lost Boys, and whatever I may have had interest in. As of today, I am going to try to update. But, I do give you a warning that since my laptop has still not been fixed, I don't believe that my writing will be at its top peak. I'm quite devastated that ever since my laptop broke down, I've not been able to write in my fanfiction, and most importantly, my novels. I enjoy the privacy when writing and sitting down at the computer in the front where everyone sits, does not help one bit. Trust me, readers, I am dying to continue on with either story. Sorry for the delay in a Note to tell you the progress. I didn't mean to keep everyone waiting, so I thank you for your patience. Once my laptop is fixed, I guarantee there will be a major upload of chapters for either story. For now, enjoy what I have posted up prior to this problem.

Thank you,

- - Obsidian - -


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